


Pleased to Meet You

by xcourtney_chaoticx



Category: Emergency!
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-16 22:25:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9292109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xcourtney_chaoticx/pseuds/xcourtney_chaoticx
Summary: The first time Brice and Bellingham met isn't exactly what anyone expected, least of all Brice and Bellingham.





	

**Author's Note:**

> From a lovely prompt George left me on [this tumblr post](http://dying-redshirt-noises.tumblr.com/post/155646395985/i-have-been-struck-by-a-sudden-need-to-write-fic) :)
> 
> Also, I know there's some discrepancy in the fandom (and the canon for that matter) on what Brice's partner's name is. I prefer Bob Bellingham. I just like the name and the alliteration. It's just a name that sounds nice.

Brice usually doesn't go to bars. He hates the loud music, louder chatter, and drunk patrons, hates it in the same way people hate the sound of nails on a chalkboard. It's only his third week in Los Angeles, though, and as much as he likes his apartment, he's getting a little sick of being alone there. At least in a place like this, he has the illusion of company without it being as draining. He's still got another three weeks before he starts at the Fire Academy. With nothing much to do in the meantime, he's running out of activities. 

This is not a bar he'll be returning to any time soon. Brice had simply been minding his own business when a fight broke out between two pairs of patrons. While someone else called the police, Brice and few others tried to break it up. This is why Brice is seated in a booth with a towel and ice pressed to his forehead. He expects he'll be taken to the hospital for some stitches. This is not quite how he'd expected his evening to go... or his week, really.

"Hey, kid. How ya doin'?"

Brice drops his head slightly to look at the newcomer. He's a big man, kind of broad and thick, perhaps a bit sloppy looking. He'd be intimidating if his face wasn't so kind.

"I have been better," Brice responds.

"Yeah, I can imagine," he says wearing a lopsided smile, "Name's Bellingham. I'm a paramedic with the fire department. I'm gonna take a look at your head, okay?"

"You're a paramedic?"

"Member of the first class outta Harbor General... ooh, but I think you'll be goin' to Rampart tonight, kid. That's a nasty cut... Just gonna clean it out... Sorry, this is gonna sting a bit..."

Brice winces at the bite of antiseptic over his eyebrow.

"Like I said, sorry about that... Yeah, you're gettin' stitches tonight. C'mon, I'll bandage it up, and we'll get goin'."

"Is it very bad?"

"Eh, I've seen worse. Now, you black out at all? Got any dizziness, nausea, blurred vision?"

Answering in the negative, Brice falls silent and simply pays careful attention to what Bellingham is doing. He can still feel blood trickling from the cut. Bellingham wipes away the rest of the blood before carefully covering it with a bandage and taping it in place. He's got big hands, with callouses and thick fingers, but they work gently, delicately. It's interesting.

"Alright if I take ya in the squad? Still feelin' okay?"

"I feel fine except for this cut, Mr. Bellingham. Riding in the squad should be fine."

"Good, 'cause all the ambulances left. Could call another one, but why wait if ya don't need one, huh? I'll call everything in once we're in the squad. Won't take long, kid. Oh and none'a that 'Mister' stuff. It's just Bellingham... or even just Bob, if ya want. Here, kid, have a seat while I call Rampart."

He helps settle Brice in the passenger seat, then goes around to the driver seat.

"Dispatch, this is Squad 16."

" _Squad 16, go ahead._ "

"Dispatch, could you patch me in to Rampart? My partner's bringin' them a patient in the ambulance and has the biophone."

" _10-4, Squad 16. One moment..._ "

" _Squad 16, this is Rampart, go ahead,_ " a woman's voice says.

"Rampart, I have a male patient, early twenties, with a laceration to the forehead. Looks like he's gonna need some stitches. No reported dizziness, nausea, or unconsciousness. Requesting permission to transport in the squad."

" _Go ahead, Squad 16. See you soon._ "

"Alright, we're good to go. Say, what's your name, kid?"

"Brice. Craig Brice."

"Pleased to meet ya, Craig Brice. So, you don't seem like the kinda fella who gets involved in bar fights. What happened?"

Despite being somewhat confused by Bellingham's desire for chatter, Brice answers him, "One pair of men took offense to something the other pair said and started a fight. I was trying to help break it up."

"What'd they hit ya with?"

"Only a fist, as far as I know."

"Well, they certainly did a number on ya. You from LA?"

"No. Florida."

"What brought ya here?"

"Just... I wanted to go somewhere else. I intend to join the county fire department, and I am very interested in the paramedic program, as well."

"Really? Well, that's great to hear!" Bellingham says, truly sounding excited.

"Yes. Perhaps you can give me your opinion of the program."

"I love it. I've been a fireman for about fifteen years, and I think this is the greatest development we've had in a long time. Paramedics can provide immediate medical treatment to keep people alive until they reach the hospital. We've made some great strides in pre-hospital treatment, definitely help more people stay alive than when we only had ambulance drivers takin' care of 'em."

"The training seems fairly involved and intense while providing experiences for hands-on learning."

"That it does. Hey, we're here at Rampart. I'll walk ya in, c'mon..."

Bellingham takes him into emergency and leads him to a blonde nurse.

"Hiya, Bob," she says in a husky sort of voice Brice remembers from the radio call, "This your head laceration patient?"

"Sure is, Dix. Where ya want him?"

"We'll go into Two. Come with me... What's your name?"

"Craig Brice."

"Now, Dix, be gentle with Craig. He wants to be a paramedic."

"Is that right?"

The three of them make pleasant conversation while waiting for the doctor, and Brice finds himself actually enjoying the semi-meaningless conversation, something he normally doesn't like. Bellingham stays as long as he can, until he's called away by his partner.

"I'll be seein' ya, kid," Bellingham smiles, "and I'll be rootin' for ya."

He squeezes Brice's shoulder with one of those big, gentle hands, and he's gone.

"That Bob is a good guy," Nurse McCall says warmly, "A real sweetheart."

Brice is inclined to agree. Maybe one day, when Brice is a paramedic, he'll be able to work with him in some way.


End file.
